Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate Preview
Today, we're here to bring you our card preview for Commander Legends: Battle of Baldur's Gate that was given to us by Wizards of the Coast! Feast your eyes on the most ferocious of fogs (though it's advised to keep them closed if you wish to retain your eyeballs), a noxious nebula, notoriously nefarious.
Let's take a look at what this spell does in D&D (from D&D Beyond):
“You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of poisonous, yellow-green fog centered on a point you choose within range. The fog spreads around corners. It lasts for the duration or until strong wind disperses the fog, ending the spell. Its area is heavily obscured.
When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don't need to breathe.
The fog moves 10 feet away from you at the start of each of your turns, rolling along the surface of the ground. The vapors, being heavier than air, sink to the lowest level of the land, even pouring down openings.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 5th.”
In the realm of Sorcery, a good spell is one that doesn't just "get 'em dead", but does so in a way that also brings a different kind of advantage to the caster. In the case of Cloudkill, this comes in the form of a big positional advantage. Anyone aiming to take out the Sorcerer needs to traverse a lethal mist, and if they happen to make it, they'll be weakened to the point where even a small gust of wind would knock them over.
This particular aspect of Cloudkill also carries over to its MTG counterpart. It comfortably clears the way for your Commander to wreak havoc upon your opponents. By giving creatures -X/-X, its unavoidable nature is also represented: indestructible creatures are not safe from Cloudkill, which can help deal with otherwise problematic cards such as Eldrazi Monument; Avacyn, Angel of Hope or her Memorial.
Cloudkill becomes even more flexible when your Commander's toughness is higher than its mana value, as that lets you clear the board while keeping it in play. A few Mono Black examples where this is the case are Acererak the Archlich; Egon, God of Death, and Sidisi, Undead Vizier.
Rakdos, Lord of Riots; The Gitrog Monster, and Raffine, Scheming Seer are a few examples of multicolor Commanders that fit the bill.
Besides this approach, there are some other ways that allow you to keep your Commander on the board. First off, the Theros Gods need Devotion to turn into creatures. Erebos, Bleak-Hearted; Pharika, God of Affliction, and Athreos, God of Passage all synergize with creatures going to the graveyard, which further increases the value of board wipes.
Another way to survive Cloudkill is with Commanders that quickly gain Toughness, thereby out-growing the card's -X/-X effect. Examples include K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth; Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, and Umbris, Fear Manifest.
Lastly, one of the cleanest ways to dodge Cloudkill is by using a Planeswalker as your Commander (Conquest players rejoice!). Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath and Lord Windgrace will soon be joined by Tasha, the Witch Queen in a small selection of Planeswalker Commanders that can make use of this spell.
Since the mana value of Cloudkill is quite high, we want to get our mana's worth when casting it. Because of this, its best synergies are with Commanders that have a high mana value, but whose cost can be reduced in some way. Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis; Karador, Ghost Chieftain, and Licia, Sanguine Tribune are prime examples for this.
The cards showcased here are just a few examples of decks where Cloudkill could give you a big advantage on the battlefield. Always remember: Being able to interact with your opponents is one of the most important things in Commander. And doing so in an asymmetrical way will greatly increase your chances of victory. We hope you enjoyed our Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate preview, and let us know if it finds its way into any of your decks! Also, please make sure to check out David Szabo, who made a stunning piece of art for this card. You can find many of his works over on his website.
This article is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
